|
||||||||
 |
|
Visitors entering Canada (by land or by air) must clear Canada Customs border security upon entry. There are many limitations on what you can and cannot bring into the country. Visit the Canada Border Services Agency for more details: Canada Border Services Agency - English Canada Border Services Agency - French Pets: There are many limitations for Pets crossing the border. To make your trip easier it is advisable not to bring any pets across the border. The government has a right to refuse entry to any animal presented for importation. However, if you are planning to bring a pet in you should visit the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Website for more information. Drugs: Drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, etc. are not permitted into Canada. If they are found on your person or in luggage, you could face criminal charges, fines, and/or arrest. Drinking: You must be 19 year old or older to drink in Toronto. You need to have valid government-issued identification (like a passport or driver’s license) to buy alcohol beverages. Restaurants with the L.L.B.O. sign serve alcohol but it cannot be taken out of the restaurant. It is against the law consume alcohol in public places without an LLBO license and you cannot have open bottles of alcohol on the street. Smoking: It is illegal to smoke in all indoor public places in Toronto. The legal age for purchasing cigarettes in Toronto is 19 years old. Age of Consent: Age of consent: At any age, sex without consent is a crime. Consent is not valid if it is obtained through force, threats, fear, or lies about what is going to happen. The legal age of consent in Canada is 14 years old. |
| At the Conference | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Traveling to Canada | Transportation in Toronto The following sessions are designed to help all youth delegates get the most out of the conference, network with peers, and plan you’re their daily calendars. Are You Ready For The Week?: Youth Delegate Welcome and Orientation All youth delegates are encouraged to attend as the Youth Programme and Toronto YouthForce welcome young people to Toronto AIDS 2006! Connect with mentors, learn about how to navigate the Conference, participate in the YouthForce advocacy campaign and plan for the week. Global Village - Session Hall 1 Sunday 13 August, 2006 15:00 – 16:30 Youth Daily Orientation Daily Morning Orientation and Planning Sessions These sessions will provide an overview of the day's youth-centered activities and include mini-training sessions in advocacy techniques. A question and answer session will allow participants to voice concerns and to share experiences. These morning sessions provide a great way to meet other young delegates to the Conference, to learn basic information about where to find things, and to improve advocacy skills in order to increase youth participation at the Conference. All youth delegates are welcome at these sessions! Tea, coffee, and light refreshments will be provided to help wake you up! Global Village Session Hall 2 Monday 14 to Thursday 17 August, 2006 07:30 – 08:30 TRANSPORTATION IN TORONTO (PUBLIC TRANSIT, BICYCLING, DRIVING) Public Transit The public transit service in Toronto is run by the Toronto Transit Commission. (TTC for short) Public transit includes the subway, streetcars, and buses. The subway serves most of the metropolitan area. Streetcars are found on many downtown streets and usually run the length of major streets. A streetcar is like a bus but it is on rails. The streetcars operate only on certain streets (you will be able to see the rails in the middle of the road) and stop frequently at marked corners. Buses serve many streets that are not served by streetcars. The Conference organisers have negotiated a special TTC pass at a discounted rate for all participants who request one. The pass will be valid from 12-18 August 2006 and can be purchased online, when registering, at www.aids2006.org. The TTC pass will be sent by post to all those who will have registered and paid by 15 May 2006. Click here to view the Metro Toronto Subway Map. Fares: A one way adult fare is 2.75 each way. You can transfer from bus to subway to bus/another subway line/streetcar as long as you are only going one way. Streetcars and Buses do not carry change. You should carry exact change for streetcars and buses ($2.75 for one ride) or buy tickets or tokens ahead of time. If you are planning on using the TTC frequently during your stay in Toronto, buying tickets or tokens in packs of 5 or 10 may save you some money. Depending on how often you will take the TTC, a weekly pass or a day pass are other options. Fares can be found here. Tickets or tokens can be purchased at nearly every subway station or at convenience stores that display a red TTC symbol in their window. Subway stations around Toronto are marked by a tall sign with a white background and a red TTC symbol. You can buy tokens and tickets from booths inside subway stations. You can use tokens or tickets in streetcars, buses, and subways. For general information about the TTC (including a full system ride map) visit the TTC website: http://www.toronto.ca/ttc/index.htm Transfers: If you need to transfer from subway to bus/streetcar, you will need to get a transfer. Transfers can be obtained in subway stations after you pass by the booth but before you go downstairs further to get to the subway. If you start your trip on a bus or streetcar, the driver will hand you a piece of paper upon receiving payment. If he/she does not offer you one, ask the driver politely for a transfer. It can be used to transfer only in one direction of travel. You must pay again to return back to where you started. Hours of operation: The hours of operation of the subway are from 6:00 am until 12:30 am every day except Sundays, when it starts at 9:00am. Some streetcars operate 24hours but late at night come less frequently. There are also less frequent bus services on Sunday. Bicycle Riding You must wear a helmet when riding a bicycle in Toronto. You must ride on the right side of the road (sometime there is a lane for bikes and sometimes there is not), stop at red lights, signal when turning, and yield to pedestrians. When riding at night, you should wear reflective clothing and have a light on your bike. Driving Canadians drive on the right side of the road. When in a car, seatbelts should be worn at all times, as required by law. CONSULATES IN TORONTO Toronto is host to the consulates of many countries. Canada’s capital, Ottawa, hosts the embassies of even more. It’s a good idea to know where you’re country’s consulate or embassy is in case you need help. Here’s a list of consulates in and around Toronto:
Information about embassies in Ottawa can be found here. YOUR HEALTH AT THE CONFERENCE International visitors to Canada are not required to have health insurance but you will not be covered under Canada’s national health insurance. This means that you will have to pay for your own health care in the case of an emergency. It is strongly suggested that visitors obtain traveller's health insurance before leaving their home country. If you are from another province in Canada in which you are covered, some services in Ontario will be covered but you should check with your home province to see exactly what costs will be covered when outside of your home province. Should you require medical services or first aid, fully equipped and staffed first aid offices will be available in the North and South Buildings of the MTCC. Onsite staff will be available to make referrals for HIV/AIDS treatment, methadone treatment, and other support services. Special Considerations for Young People Living with HIV/AIDS International travel goes best when you are prepared. This is doubly important if you are living with HIV/AIDS. Here are some things you may want to consider. Talk to your doctor: Make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. You should discuss vaccines and how to manage HIV treatment and other medications while travelling, especially if you will be in a different time zone. It is especially important to talk with your doctor if you are thinking about taking a break from your medications or thinking about starting a new type of medications. Getting your medications there: Bring a letter from your doctor stating that the medications, needles and syringes you are carrying are prescribed for personal use. It is a good idea to list the name of each medication with the daily doses; the reason for their use does not have to be included. Individual airlines and countries may have different rules. Check in with your travel agent or the airline several weeks before leaving so you have the right information. Make sure you have enough medication for your entire trip, plus a few days. Pack your medications in your carry-on bag in case your luggage is lost or delayed. You may need to pack it in a cooling pack if it requires refrigeration. What to do in an HIV-related emergency: It is possible that you may have an HIV-related emergency while you are at the Conference like running out of medications or getting sick. You may want to bring a photocopy of your latest prescription and lab results. Find out from the Conference what medical services are available to delegates. It is important to eat well and get enough down time so you do not get run down. Taking care of yourself if you are not on HIV medications: Many PLWHAs at the Conference are not on HIV medications. Do your best to keep from getting run down during the Conference. Make use of the PLWHA Lounge: It is a great place to rest and enjoy nutritious snacks. MONEY ISSUES Money The Canadian unit of money is the dollar. Visit this website to view pictures of Canadian currency. Tipping: Tipping at restaurants is customary in Toronto. Tips are usually 10-15% of your purchase before tax. At some restaurants tables of 6-8 or more are automatically charged tip on the bill. Tax: In Ontario there are two taxes: GST (federal Goods and Services Tax) and PST (Provincial Sales Tax). The GST is 6% and applies to most goods, purchased gifts, food/beverages, and services, including most hotel and motel accommodation.The PST is 8% and applies to any goods you buy, but not on services or accommodation. There is also a 5% provincial tax (in place of PST), known as the Room Tax, on most tourist accommodation charges, as well as the 7% GST. Food services in restaurants are taxed both GST and PST. However, if you purchase alcohol, there is a 10% provincial tax on the price of the alcohol in addition to the 7% GST. Budgeting for the Conference This may be the first time you have traveled and/or managed your own money. Toronto is expensive, so be aware of how much you’re spending and how much you have left. First step is to create a realistic budget and stick to it. Here is a tool to help you. Step 1: Determine how much money you have for the IAC
Step 2: Determine how much money you need for your time at the IAC You can find out things like entry and exit taxes, costs for hotels and food, etc. through on-line travel guides.
Step 3: Compare the money you need with the money you have. This will help you figure out if you need to do some more fundraising. Keep in mind that potential donors are unlikely to fund the nonessentials. These are things that should come out of your own pocket. Other Money Tips • Register early: Rates go up the closer it gets to the Conference. • Ask about volunteering in exchange for free attendance some of the sessions. • If you write for an AIDS newsletter, ask free media registration. • Hotel phones can be expensive. Use a phone card from a pay phone. • Snacks and drinks in hotel mini-bars are more expensive than if bought at a convenience or grocery store. • You may require a credit card to check-in to your hotel. This is to guarantee that additional expenses like telephone, snacks, and room service are paid. • Set aside a small cushion of cash or have a credit card with you for emergencies. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
